Last week, scores of people were wounded and at least three people killed during several consecutive days of street battles in Bangkok. On Tuesday, protesters and security forces agreed to bring an end to the violence as a show of respect for Thailand’s much-revered king, who will celebrate his 86th birthday Thursday.

But protesters refused to give up their week-old occupation of the ministry of finance and a separate government complex on the outskirts of the Thai capital.

“The proposals of the protesters are undemocratic and unconstitutional,” said Suranand Vejjajiva, a top aide to Yingluck, in an interview with CNN.

“What they are trying to do is just topple the democratically-elected government, which is totally unacceptable,” he said. But Suranand added that the government would do its best to avoid violence.

“The prime minister, she has clearly stated that she doesn’t want to be the cause of conflict, she doesn’t want to be the cause that leads to violence and bloodshed,” said Suranand Vejjajiva. “The proposals of the protesters are undemocratic and unconstitutional. … What they are trying to do is topple a democratically elected government, which is totally unacceptable by international standards.”